Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse

[mmcmdl]

Not good news. Condolences to all affected families, friends and colleagues.

So my son's girlfriend works for this construction company and was notified of the ongoing activity as it was happening . When talking with her I got updates but had tractors on my mind .

 

[GrifterGuru]

So my son's girlfriend works for this construction company and was notified of the ongoing activity as it was happening . When talking with her I got updates but had tractors on my mind .

Hooo boy, bet thats not a good situation for them.....

 

[Janderso]

Quite the disaster, but where the hell were the Pilot and Captain and wtf were they doing that they could not avoid hitting a dirty great bridge?

Is that area tidal with strong cross currents?

I also question why there was zero effort made to protect the the bridge with large "feet" around the supports to minimise such a direct hit on the supports.

I heard some expert discussing two options as many bridges world wide are wide open to this type of accident.
Build significant protective barriers or guide each ship with tug boats.
That bridge went down like a child’s tinker toy.

 

[GrifterGuru]

I heard some expert discussing two options as many bridges world wide are wide open to this type of accident.
Build significant protective barriers or guide each ship with tug boats.
That bridge went down like a child’s tinker toy.

I noted that earlier....

 

[RJSakowski]

The problem is that ships are growing larger faster than the infrastructure can keep up with. Steering a ship three football fields in length and displacing thousands of tons isn't a simple operation. And bringing that mush mass to a stop isn't trivial either. It is the unstoppable force hitting the immovable object. Something's going to give.

I've seen multiple maritime fails and they are impending disasters in slow motion. They are going to happen and there isn't a thing you can do about it. I've spent enough time on the water in a small boat to appreciate the difficulty involved. The thought of losing all power and thereby control is daunting.

 

[Provincial]

Large ships are eventually going to have to comply with redundant systems modeled on aviation. Multiple steering systems capable of full control at all times, including after multiple system failures. Steering that works no matter what mode the propulsion system is operating in, including reverse thrust. Perhaps even including bow thrusters being included in the redundant steering requirements.

Letting "flags of convenience" ships use harbors will have to be limited to those who meet maintenance and crew qualification standards, just like aviation. Too much is at stake now.

 

[GrifterGuru]

Large ships are eventually going to have to comply with redundant systems modeled on aviation. Multiple steering systems capable of full control at all times, including after multiple system failures. Steering that works no matter what mode the propulsion system is operating in, including reverse thrust. Perhaps even including bow thrusters being included in the redundant steering requirements.

Letting "flags of convenience" ships use harbors will have to be limited to those who meet maintenance and crew qualification standards, just like aviation. Too much is at stake now.

100% agreed!

 

[pontiac428]

What? Mauritania and Liberia have booming industrial economies and are revered as being in the forefront of human rights and safety. Of course global megaconglomerates are flocking to their shores to take part in their thoroughly administered seaworthiness programs. It must be costing them a bundle, but that's the price of responsibility.

 

[Boswell]

I wonder if you could increase the length of the center span so that the supports are well outside the dredged channel. Hopefully a ship (especially the newer very large ships, would run aground before they got close to the supports. I'm sure there a million reasons that my armchair quarterback solution will not work but still an interesting thought experiment.

 

[GrifterGuru]

I wonder if you could increase the length of the center span so that the supports are well outside the dredged channel. Hopefully a ship (especially the newer very large ships, would run aground before they got close to the supports. I'm sure there a million reasons that my armchair quarterback solution will not work but still an interesting thought experiment.

If you take a look at a number of engineered solutions for protecting bridge pylons, you can soon see why what happened in this instance was a disaster awaiting an opportunity to happen due to either lack of foresight, lack of forwards planning or a sheer lack of consideration for the fact that ships have become longer, heavier, carry more way and have as a result become ever more dangerous to such structures that lack even basic "in channel" protections around and for bridge supports.